SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va., Sept. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Rural Financial Planning Project (RFPP) awarded four scholarships to students from Shepherd University. Launched by Rob Hoxton CFP®, AAMS, AIF®, founder and CEO of HFI Wealth Management, the RFPP's mission is to "improve the lives of rural Americans through the promotion of financial literacy and the delivery of financial planning by well-trained and ethical financial planning professionals."

The scholarship winners are members of the Financial Planning Club at the Shepherd University: seniors Jennie Tomcho - President, Ginny Hudson - Secretary, Melanie Vincent - Secretary and junior Rebecca Blevins. RFPP awarded scholarships based on academic performance and exceptional promise in the field of financial planning.

In addition to their exceptional academic records, Tomcho, Hudson and Vincent were among the finalists of the Financial Planning Association®, Ameriprise Financial and the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. 2012 Financial Planning Challenge. The Challenge was "created to support the next generation of financial planners by: engaging students and program directors in the financial planning community; raising awareness of career opportunities; and encouraging learning and networking in the financial planning profession." The Challenge consisted of three events, which were designed to test the students' knowledge of financial planning and professional preparedness.

The Rural Financial Planning Project provides financial aid and mentorship to worthy Shepherd University students majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Financial Planning.

"There were many qualified candidates," says Hoxton. "All the students displayed extraordinary potential in their future careers, and we look forward to selecting another group of recipients next year."

In 2011, Hoxton launched The Rural Financial Planning Project to eliminate financial illiteracy in underprivileged areas. The goal of the program is to promote financial literacy in poverty-stricken, rural areas throughout Middle America.

Hoxton, who began his career in the financial services industry in 1986, has won numerous awards for his work in the wealth management area, including being named as America's 150 Best Advisors for Doctors in Medical Economics. He is a graduate of the Certified Financial Planning Professional Program of the College for Financial Planning in Denver and is a Certified Cash Balance Consultant through the Kravitz Cash Balance Coach Program. Hoxton is the developer of The Grow Greenr® Method and the author of Grow Greenr, 10 Steps to a Richer Life, which is available at Amazon.com. He also wrote Investing in Uncertain Times, which can be downloaded as a PDF file from www.hfiwealth.com.

Hoxton was elected to the Financial Planning Association Board of Directors for a three-year term that began in 2011. HFI is a leading fee-only investment advisory firm. HFI's flagship office in Shepherdstown, West Virginia was opened in 1992. Hoxton then added the Winchester, Virginia office in 2004. His goal is to continue to expand the firm, which provides wealth management and retirement plan consulting for individuals and firms.

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